At about 600 million years after the Big Bang, they're not the oldest galaxies the telescope has spotted. But they appear as developed as our Milky Way — far further along than researchers expected.
One year ago, on Christmas Day, the James Webb Space Telescope was launched. Since it began collecting data, it has captured - in stunning detail - previously unobservable stars, planets and galaxies.
NASA says an extensive review of historical records found no evidence that Webb ever led or supported purges of government employees who were gay. But some astronomers think that's a pretty low bar.
Galaxies that existed soon after the Big Bang turn out to be surprisingly bright, a discovery that's both thrilled and puzzled scientists who study how the universe evolved over time.
The James Webb Space Telescope has captured NASA's most detailed image of the Pillars of Creation that is helping scientists better understand how stars form.
The last time scientists caught such a clear glimpse of Neptune's rings was when Voyager 2 flew past the distant planet in 1989. Now the James Webb Space Telescope has delivered a crisp new image.
Bill Ochs, the project manager for the James Webb telescope shares the trials and tribulations of the launch and what it's like having the images out in the world.
The first image from NASA's new space telescope is the deepest view of the universe ever captured. The picture is the farthest humanity has ever seen in both time and distance, closer to the dawn of time and the edge of the universe.
Scientists using the Hubble Space Telescope have spotted light from what appears to be the most distant star ever seen. It offers a glimpse into an early moment in the history of the universe.
Building and operating telescopes can generate a lot of greenhouse gases. In fact, it's as if each astronomer in the world was driving more than 100,000 miles per year, a new study finds.
Picture perfect: Mission managers say the telescope's mirror segments have been aligned and have focused on single stars, a critical milestone, and the telescope is working flawlessly.
The James Webb Space Telescope has seen its first starlight, but its 18 mirror segments aren't yet perfectly aligned. As a result, the pictures it's sending back now aren't exactly cosmic eye candy.
The $10 billion telescope is nearly ready to begin capturing images that scientists hope will help uncover the mysteries of the universe — and scope out other possible habitable planets.
